Gustavo Esquina and Angelo Esquina discuss what they find unique about Barrio Fino and how they initiated their participation in the group.
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Barrio Fino Gustavo y Angelo Motivation to Stay Involved
Gustavo Esquina and Angelo Esquina discuss what motivates them to stay involved with Barrio Fino; each share a favorite memory.
Barrio Fino Gustavo y Angelo Continuation of Cultural Innovations
Gustavo Esquina discusses Barrio Fino as the continuation of several cultural innovations that have been happening in Portobelo over the past decade.
Barrio Fino Heraldo y Abdiel y Eric Relationship to the Group and Town
Heraldo Eucebio De Hoyos, Abdiel Valdez, and Eric Blanquicet introduce themselves and talk about their relationship to the group as well as the town.
Barrio Fino Heraldo y Abdiel y Eric Meaning of Name
Heraldo Eucebio De Hoyos, Abdiel Valdez, and Eric Blanquicet discuss the meaning of the name “Comparsa Barrio Fino.”
Barrio Fino Heraldo y Abdiel y Eric Group Origins
Heraldo Eucebio De Hoyos discusses how the group started and how he approached the music school to help supply the group with instruments.
Barrio Fino Heraldo y Abdiel y Eric Members and Instruments
Heraldo Eucebio De Hoyos and Abdiel Valdez discuss the number of members and types of instruments that make up the comparsa. Comparsa Barrio Fino is unique in that it incorporates the spectrum of instruments one would find in a Latin orchestra.
Barrio Fino Heraldo y Abdiel y Eric History of Comparsa Sound
Eric Blanquicet maps the history of the comparsa sound in Portobelo through its origins in Santiago de Cuba and history in Panama. In doing so, he shares how the group based the sound on comparsa traditions in Colon but shifted it to better represent the uniqueness of Portobelo.
Andres Jimenez Congo Participation and Views of Congo before the Road
In this excerpt, Maestro Andrés discusses his participation in the tradition and the negative ways in which some members his parents’ generation, newer community members, and outsiders sometimes viewed the Congo tradition in the early twentieth century prior to the advent of “the road.”
Barrio Fino Heraldo y Abdiel y Eric Favorite Memory
Heraldo Eucebio De Hoyos, Abdiel Valdez, and Eric Blanquicet discuss their favorite Barrio Fino memory or activity. All talk about the magic of their first public performance. In responding, Heraldo gives the spectrum of Portobelo personalities active with the group to illustrate how thoroughly it represents a broad spectrum of Portobelo culture and embodies the spirit of the community.